A hermetic compressor, such as that in a window room air conditioner, is conventionally contained within a generally cylindrical shell secured in some fashion to the unit housing and connected to other elements in the system through a suction and a discharge line. The axis of the shell, the motor rotor and stator, and the portion of the shaft carrying the rotor are all, nominally, coaxial. If the compressor is vertically oriented, the center of gravity would tend to be quite close to the axis of the shell. The forces produced by the motor and pump structure during operation of the compressor will tend to cause rotational movement of the shell which will tend to produce movement through the suction and discharge lines.
If the compressor is placed in a horizontal orientation, the oil sump will shift from a position centered on the axis of the shell to the side of the shell and at a distance which is a significant percentage of the shell radius. So, the location of the center of gravity will be changed as well as the direction in which it acts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,322 discloses a horizontal compressor which is secured at its bottom to one leg of each of two L-shaped brackets and is integral therewith. The other legs of the two L-shaped brackets are secured to a support through a pin and grommet. Thus, the entire support of the integral L-shaped brackets and compressor is through the pins which are, nominally, aligned with the axis of the compressor. The L-shaped brackets can serve as linkages relative to the exertion of forces produced during operation of the compressor and the support provided by the pins. The pins are rectangular, as is the pin socket, so as to resist rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,183 discloses a vertical compressor and a number of mounting configurations. In each configuration most, if not all, of the weight is supported by a vibration isolator. Torsion isolation is provided through a plurality of torsion isolators which are located radially with respect to the axis of the compressor shell.
A pin located as close as practical to the center of gravity extends radially downward from the shell of a horizontally mounted compressor. The radial pin is received in an isolator which supports most of the weight of the compressor. The bottom isolator is suitably supported and/or secured to the base pan of the room air conditioner. Pins extend from each end of the shell as close as is practical to the axis of the compressor shell and are supported by isolators secured in suitable supports. The compressor may be located in a shell-type enclosure which supports the isolators while providing sound insulation.
It is an object of this invention to eliminate the need for a compressor baseplate and its accompanying sound emission.
It is another object of this invention to facilitate grommet installation.
It is a further object of this invention to reduce grommet failure. These objects, and others as will become apparent hereinafter, are accomplished by the present invention.
Basically, a horizontally mounted compressor is supported from below by a vibration isolator located as close as practical to the vertical projection of the center of gravity of the compressor and this isolator supports most, if not all, of the weight of the compressor. The ends of the compressor are supported by isolators located as close as practical to the axis of the compressor.